<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Breaking the Cycle by Floptopus</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28990350">Breaking the Cycle</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Floptopus/pseuds/Floptopus'>Floptopus</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Legend of Zelda &amp; Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, By which I mean very little, Canon-Typical Violence, Found Family, Ganondorf be like: What's with this silent lost child?, Ganondorf isn't evil in this, Gen, He's a lil fucked up but he's trying his best, Meanwhile Link be like: Why does this grown-ass man know nothing about the world, Nonbinary Link (Legend of Zelda), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Selectively Mute Link (Legend of Zelda), They don't remember shit but they want to help people anyway, breath of the wild AU</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 10:01:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,771</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28990350</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Floptopus/pseuds/Floptopus</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ganondorf didn't expect to wake up from a sword through the head. So when he finds himself in the middle of an unfamiliar Hyrule, he's more than a little thrown. At least he has come across a young traveller willing to guide him to the nearest city.</p>
<p>Only, this traveller is odd. They're incredibly strong for their tiny size, and though they almost never speak they seem to understand him when he speaks in the language of his dead tribe. </p>
<p>They're also on a quest to kill his namesake.</p>
<p>(A fic in which Ganondorf finds himself accompanying Link through the plot of Breath of the Wild.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ganondorf &amp; Link (Legend of Zelda)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>199</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Death Mountain Approach</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first things he is aware of are boiling air that stifles his breaths and a disturbingly warm dampness seeping into his robes. He sits up with a groan of pain and rubs his aching forehead. Where is he? For that matter, why is he anywhere? The last thing he remembers is two children, and a too-familiar sharp agony, and then- well. No use dwelling on that.</p>
<p>His priority is getting his bearings. He appears to be sitting in some kind of hot spring at the base of an imposingly large mountain. A volcano, even, if the heat is any indication. The rock seems to form a natural road leading up the mountain that has been smoothed down by centuries of use by travellers. Looming up over this road are two giant stone monoliths that almost form an arch into which torches, carved from luminescent stone, have been set. There must be a settlement somewhere ahead, then.</p>
<p>He wrings some of the spring water from his robes, brushes off the rubble that has collected on his trousers, and heads towards the almost-arch. Late in the evening as it appears to be, there aren’t any other travellers around on the road to ask for directions, so he decides to follow this road until he reaches its end and hope for the best. At worst, he’ll end up higher up and he’ll be able to see where he is from a half-decent vantage point.</p>
<p>The roadside is littered with old, overturned caravan wagons and the dead husks of what seem to be mechanical creatures. He notes these with mild interest as things that he definitely doesn’t recognise, an indication that maybe, wherever he is, it’s significantly further from home than he first thought. All the more reason to find a settlement, he supposes. Who knows what dangers could lie in wait on these unfamiliar paths?</p>
<p>It is as he is passing by one of the decayed robots that a hand reaches out to grab him and pull him behind it. Instinctually, he reaches for the katanas he keeps at his belt only to find them missing. He turns to face his assailant, ready to fight with his bare hands if necessary, only to stop short at the sight. </p>
<p>They’re petite, likely barely more than a child, with reddish-gold hair pulled into a bun and most of their features covered by a red scarf. Their pointed ears, striking blue eyes and skin-tight stealth gear all seem to mark them out as a Sheikah, but with their free hand they are signalling frantically in a Gerudo sign language he’d thought long dead. A hunting signal, used to indicate that a dangerous enemy is ahead. Surprised though he is at the choice of language, he nods to indicate that he understands and crouches next to the child. </p>
<p>They pass him an odd-looking slab of rock and glass. On the surface in glowing green Hylian are the words <i>Guardian Stalker nearby</i> next to a circular symbol. He doesn’t know what a ‘Guardian’ is or why it’s dangerous, but before he can ask the child taps him on the shoulder and indicates to a figure further down the road. It seems almost identical to the dead machine they are hiding behind, but this new creature is glowing softly with bluish light and scuttling around on six spider-like metal legs. He nods again to show he’s seen the creature, and the child flicks their hand in a second sign. <i>Cover me.</i> They draw the silver shield on their back and dart out from behind their makeshift cover, whistling to get the creature’s attention. Immediately, its body rotates to bring its single glowing eye to face them, and the light of its body flickers to a deep reddish-purple. The air fills with the scent of a magic that is all too familiar to him.</p>
<p>Malice. </p>
<p>They raise their shield against the red light the creature shines on them. An aiming beam, perhaps? It gives out a high-pitched whine as it builds up pure energy, and then with an ear-splitting screech it releases a pure beam of energy at the child. They swing their shield, managing to parry the light away from them, and run forward, drawing a pitiful-looking silver shortsword. He knows this creature is going to rip them to shreds.</p>
<p>He reacts without thinking, reaching out with his magic until he can feel the energy infusing the creature. Then, he grips that magic with his own and <i>pulls</i>. The darkness spills out of the thing, oozing to the ground as a viscous purple fluid. Devoid of its corruption, the creature’s light fads back to its original soft blue as it scuttles away from the two of them, no longer interested.</p>
<p>The child blinks at him, wide-eyed, and then takes a shaky step back. He raises his hands softly, trying to indicate that he is unarmed.</p>
<p>“I mean you no harm,” he calls out to them, trying to keep his voice level and unthreatening. “In fact, I should thank you. Had that thing caught me by surprise, I might not have been so lucky. I owe you a debt, little-” </p>
<p>He pauses, considering. They seem too small to be a voe, but the Sheikah in their bizarre ways have always taken issue with vai travelling alone. Best not to assume, and let them correct him if they need to. </p>
<p>“-little vae.”</p>
<p>They tilt their head, confused for a second. Then they nod, smile visible underneath their scarf. The mutter to themselves in a surprisingly deep voice, and he has to strain to make out the words.</p>
<p>“Vae. Yes. That’s, that’s me.”</p>
<p>He blinks. He hadn’t expected that to be their reaction, but he supposes the Sheikah with their backward ways may not have let them think of themselves as anything but what had already been decided for them. Odd, though, that they know the hunting signals of a dead tribe. Trying to put that thought aside for the moment, he calls out to them again.</p>
<p>“Is there a settlement to be found if I continue north on this road?”</p>
<p>The look of confusion returns, but they nod. Taking a few steps towards him, they hold out the slate they had shown him earlier. Instead of the green text, there is what appears to be a somewhat incomplete map of the region. They tap a yellow arrow, and then trace a path with their finger from it to a part of the map marked with a yellow star. They tap the star again for emphasis.</p>
<p>“I assume the arrow is us, and the star is the settlement?” he asks.</p>
<p>They nod in reply, then stash the slab on their belt and fish a bottle of black sludge out of their pack. They hold it out to him questioningly. He takes it and turns over the red label attached to the neck of the bottle to read what it says. </p>
<p>“Fireproof elixir?”</p>
<p>They nod again. They look at him questioningly, and when he doesn’t respond they pluck the bottle out of his hands and shake it in his face.</p>
<p>“…Do I have any of these? No, I don’t.”</p>
<p>They frown. Then from their pack they pull out an empty glass bottle, three dead butterflies and a handful of blue jelly. They combine the butterflies and jelly in the bottle, and shake it until they form a nasty brown liquid similar to the elixir they showed him before. They present it to him proudly.</p>
<p>He looks at the concoction in disgust and says, “I’m not drinking that, vae’a.”</p>
<p>They roll their eyes at him and start making another of the horrible things. Once they have three made, they stash them away in their pack and head down the road, gesturing in the Gerudo hunting language for him to follow them. He supposes it makes sense to head towards the settlement with someone who seems to know the roads. And besides, he is hardly going to be in danger from someone a head and a half shorter than him that cannot be older than sixteen. </p>
<p>“So, little one,” he asks them, “do you have a name? Or am I simply to address you as vae’a for all time?” It seems presumptuous to address them as ‘little sibling’ in Gerudo, but he’d rather that than dance around addressing them at all. </p>
<p>They don’t seem to mind, though, simply shrugging at his enquiry as though they have no answer. They then tilt their head at him as if to return the question.</p>
<p>He thinks for a second. “You may call me Zauz,” he tells them, hoping that their grasp of the Gerudo language doesn’t extend to the archaic word for ‘pseudonym’. </p>
<p>After all, he hardly thinks they’ll react well if he asks them to call him Ganondorf.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Death Mountain Trail</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ganondorf decides that it's sensible to head for the nearest settlement, and travel is always safer in pairs. Also, the tiny one makes a friend and gets a new name.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Another hour or two on the road brings the pair of them to a cave infested with fire keese. Ganondorf had picked up a horribly rusty halberd from one of the overturned carts as they passed, and even with such a poor weapon it is quick work for the two to dispatch the creatures. The child – he should really give them a name, if only to refer to them in his head – pulls a bundle of wood from their seemingly bottomless pack and works on starting a fire. </p>
<p>They haven’t spoken a single word to him in the last two hours. Instead, they seem to communicate with a combination of meaningful glances and the occasional hand sign. It’s still jarring to Ganon to see the latter. The Gerudo have been dead for centuries, so it is bizarre to see an outsider make the sharp, distinct gestures that his people used to use to communicate during hunts or other occasions where stealth was of the essence. He wonders who taught them. They’re clearly capable of making sound, humming to themselves as they thread some mushrooms onto a crude wooden spear and begin to toast them over the flames, but they seem to dislike speaking outright.</p>
<p>He settles next to them, carefully brushing away some of the loose rubble to create a patch of ground that won’t be completely intolerable to lie on if he must. “I don’t suppose you’re carrying a spare bedroll in your pack?” he asks them.</p>
<p>They shake their head but hold up their hand to indicate that they’re thinking. After a few seconds, they hand him the skewer of mushrooms to hold and reach into their bag again. They rummage around with a look of deep concentration and pull out a woollen doublet. They roll it up, use the belt to tie it securely, and then throw it gently at him. They then pull out a red tunic and roll it in the same manner. This one they stash behind their back, before taking back the mushrooms and biting into one. </p>
<p>“What brings you to this part of the kingdom?” Ganondorf asks conversationally, taking one of the mushrooms when they offer it to him. </p>
<p>They pause in their chewing to think. <i>Monster</i> they sign. <i>Big monster. Danger. Tracking.</i> Then, they point to themselves and draw a line across their throats in a universal indication of murder.</p>
<p>“You’re a bounty hunter?” It surprises him. Bounty hunters and mercenaries are usually tall, burly and intimidating. This vae, for all that they carry themselves with an unnatural stillness and grace that suggests they may be older than he initially expected, is still a tiny slip of a thing. He’s surprised nobody’s tried to slit their throat at a trading outpost to take their admittedly fine weaponry. “How old are you, anyway?”</p>
<p>They hold up one finger, then two, then a closed fist.</p>
<p>“One hundred and twenty?” </p>
<p>A nod, and a soft chuckle when Ganon raises his eyebrows at them. At his questioning look, they simply give a shrug and hand him the final cooked mushroom. </p>
<p>He sighs. “Well, if you don’t want me to know your age, you could have just said.”</p>
<p>They roll their eyes and simply hold up two fingers again.</p>
<p>“So you’re twenty? That’s still awfully young to be travelling like this. Don’t you know it’s dangerous to go alone?”</p>
<p>They laugh at that, though Ganondorf fails to see what’s so funny. Drawing his halberd, he moves to sit at the mouth of the cave. As he stands, though, they clap to get his attention and sign at him with a frown.</p>
<p>
  <i>What are you doing?</i>
</p>
<p>“Taking first watch,” he replied. Wasn’t it obvious?</p>
<p>
  <i>No. Fire. Shield.</i>
</p>
<p>“You’re certain nothing will attack us if we stay near the campfire?” He asks, disbelief evident. They’re surprisingly good at conveying their meaning in such a limited repertoire of symbols, though.</p>
<p>They nod and curl up between two boulders using their tunic as a pillow. Conversation over. Sensing that there’s no point in arguing, and that they have no intention of taking over the watch as he sleeps anyway, Ganon decides to make himself as comfortable as he can on the hard ground.</p>
<p>“If I’m murdered in the night, vae’a, I’ll haunt you for the rest of your days,” he calls out, but is met only with an exaggerated snore. Despite the less than pleasant sleeping conditions and the travelling companion now genuinely snoring in his ear, he drifts off slowly into sleep.</p>
<p>They rise with the sun and set off after a quick breakfast of baked apples. Ganondorf’s enquiry of how much, exactly, the vae has stashed in their belt pouch is met with another shrug and he decides it’s better not to question it. A couple of hours of mostly uneventful travelling, interspersed with the occasional weak fire monster, brings them to a large iron sign. </p>
<p>
  <b>DEATH MOUNTAIN MARKER #2<br/>
GORON CITY AHEAD<br/>
HEAT LEVEL: ★<br/>
NON-GORONS USE EXTREME CAUTION</b>
</p>
<p>They hold out one of the nasty-looking elixirs and blink at him.</p>
<p>“Must we?” He really, really does not want to drink a blend of butterfly and monster slime.</p>
<p>They shrug as if to say <i>it’s your funeral</i> and chug their own. Then, they walk past him and wince as the heat of the air from the pools of lava ahead really hits them. Ganon supposes it’s better not to take risks in a climate like this and downs the potion with a shudder. The lukewarm, bitter sludge is about as appetising as he expected it to be, but once he has swallowed it he feels magic settling into his skin and the searing heat of the air feels less painful. </p>
<p>Aside from the heat, it really doesn’t seem too dangerous on the road. Mostly, he passes the hours by attempting to learn more about his new companion. He discovers that they are Hylian, not Sheikah, though they find Sheikah clothing more comfortable, that they grew up near “water city”, which he eventually deduces means Zora’s domain, and that they learned sign language from someone they name as “lightning chief”. He asks if anyone ever gave them a name-sign, and they reply with the signs for ‘steed’ (horse, in this context), ‘magic’ and ‘sword’ strung together. They then flap their hand at him until he responds with his own name-sign – the signs for ‘monster’ (or, in this case, demon) and ‘king’ combined into one movement. </p>
<p>They seem like they plan to question him further on that, but something on the road ahead causes them to stop abruptly.</p>
<p><i>Danger</i>, they sign, motioning frantically to a lava-covered rock in the centre of the path. <i>Fire monster. </i></p>
<p>Behind the rock is reasonably gentle cliff that Ganon knows they need to climb to continue on this road. If the vae is right, and the rock is a monster in disguise, there’s no way they’ll simply be able to outrun the thing as they’ll be sitting targets for its attacks while they climb. They have to stand and fight.</p>
<p>First things first- “Give me the second of those elixirs, vae’a. We don’t want our fire resistance wearing out in the middle of a fight.” He keeps his voice low and level, so as not to alert the beast. </p>
<p>They hand him an elixir, swig one themselves, and then hold up the slate that previously showed their map. Now, it displays a reflection of the environment in front of them, but the rock they had warned Ganondorf about is highlighted with a red box and the words <b>”Igneo Talus”</b>. They then draw a whole Zora-made silver greatsword from their bag and hand it to him. When he opens his mouth to ask them how in Hyrule they managed that, they pre-empt him with a shake of their head and mouth “later”. Finally, they rifle through their quiver for a handful of arrows each tipped with glowing blue rock and nock one in their bow. They nod at him to indicate that they’re ready to fight.</p>
<p>Ganon makes the first move. He walks straight up to the rock, only to leap back when the earth shakes and a colossus of stone and magma pulls itself out of the ground. It lumbers over him and raises a fist the size of his torso. The weakness of creatures this size, Ganon knows, is their speed. He remembers raising a hoof to slam the ‘hero’ into the ground only for the boy to duck out of the way with an agility he couldn’t match. He finds himself in the place of Link now, leaping out the path of an attack that could shatter his bones and wincing as his robes are scorched by the plume of flames it creates. His companion whistles to get his attention from where they’ve climbed onto a small rocky outcropping, and he glances at them just long enough to register their sign of <i>move in from both sides</i> before he's forced to leap out the way of another massive fist.</p>
<p>It's pretty clear what the vae wants him to do. Zigzagging to avoid being crushed by the talus, he makes his way around to the other side of the creature. Seconds after he takes position, he hears the distinctive whistle of an arrow cutting through the air and the sound of glass shattering as it meets its target and explodes in a burst of ice. The cloud of magic sinks into the monster with a hiss of steam, and suddenly the creature is simply a rock golem. </p>
<p>Acting quickly before its inherent fire magic can recover, Ganondorf jumps up and uses his free hand to vault onto the top of the talus. He spots a slab of black rock that looks weaker than the rest of the creature and thrusts his new greatsword into it. There is an awful crack as the monster’s weak spot splits in half down the middle, and then a rumbling as the crack propagates through its body and the creature shatters apart into a pile of rubble.</p>
<p>The Hylian hops down from their vantage point and joins him in the rubble. They kick the rocks apart to reveal some precious gemstones, which they squirrel away into their pack with a wink. Once they are satisfied with their spoils, they produce some raw meat out of their pack and lay it flat one of the flatter boulders in the area. </p>
<p>Ganon stares at them. “What in the name of all that is holy are you doing?”</p>
<p>They point to the sky, and then pat their stomach. The meat is sizzling, and they flip it over using the flat of their shortsword.</p>
<p>“Why are you cooking steak on a boulder, vae’a? I know it’s time for lunch, but that’s not a normal way of preparing food,” he says to them, exasperated.</p>
<p>Ganon has always prided himself on his ability to read facial expressions, and the meaning of their current expression is clear – “Do <i>you</i> see a tavern around here?” They’re right, of course, and he takes the offered boulder steak with only a little haughtiness. They chew on their lunch as they observe the cliff face they need to climb, mapping out the safest route. </p>
<p>As Ganondorf is still considering suitable handholds, his companion simply latches onto the ridge and scales it as though it is nothing. They reach the top in a matter of minutes and vanish. After another minute, they lean back over the edge to throw a rope down to him with a smug expression.</p>
<p>He frowns up at them and shouts, “Can you even take my weight?”</p>
<p>They motion tying a knot and then wiggle the rope at him. After a quick pull to test that it will hold, he decides to trust the vae that hasn’t failed him yet, and climbs. When he reaches the summit, he can see exactly why they look so pleased. Less than a mile away, just visible through the heat haze, is some kind of working mine. Not a proper settlement, but they may be able to get better directions. Careful questioning may lead to some answers about where exactly he is. </p>
<hr/>
<p>“Sir, if I could borrow a moment of your time?”</p>
<p>“Hey, buddy! Sure, what do you need? It ain’t often we have Hylian travellers 'round these parts!” The Goron sets down his pickaxe carefully and beams at Ganon. Not far across the mine, his travelling companion is gesturing animatedly at a Hylian man in fire-proof armour. He pulls his attention away from them to give the Goron his most charming smile.</p>
<p>“Where exactly are we? I confess I’m not too familiar with the area, and I’d like to get my bearings a little before moving on.” </p>
<p>The Goron looks puzzled. “Why, you’re in the southern mine. Goron city’s three miles north. How the hell did y’all make it this far up the mountain without knowing where you were going?”</p>
<p>He chuckles nervously. “I was fortunate enough to have a guide. Why, are other parts of the mountain dangerous?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, man. Since Vah Rudania’s started acting up again, half of the mountain is being bombarded with raining magma. No offence or anything, but how have you not heard about this?” </p>
<p>The Goron is beginning to get suspicious, and Ganon doesn’t want to draw unnecessary attention to himself. He tries to save face with a joke about his mothers sheltering him, and glances in the direction of the Hylian vae again. Bizarrely, they appear to be trading a pile of lizards to their new friend for a heavy piece of brown and red armour. Seeing him watching them, they wave goodbye to the other Hylian and wander over to Ganon. </p>
<p>The Goron Ganon is talking to beams at them. “You planning on wearing that into the city, little guy?”</p>
<p>They nod eagerly, already unwrapping their wrist guards in preparation of donning their new armour. </p>
<p>“Nice! I was just telling your buddy, it’s only about three hours to the city from here. Just keep following the road north until you see the giant carving of the great sage Darunia! You can’t miss it, brother!”</p>
<p>They smile warmly at him in thanks and pull the armour over their head. They look so ridiculous, in skin-tight leggings and a huge, bulky breastplate, that Ganon can’t help but laugh at the sight. It earns him a mock-glare for all of three seconds before they begin to crack up themselves. The Goron also lets out a hearty chuckle and goes to slap Ganondorf on the back before deciding against it. The two travellers give him a friendly wave goodbye, then head on their way.</p>
<p>Half an hour into their walk, Ganondorf is forced to drink a third elixir. His companion, snug in their flame-proof armour, gives him a smug grin from beneath their scarf as he gags on the rancid concoction. It cheers him to know that their silence doesn’t just stem from a subdued personality or, worse, fear of him. No, their personality itself is quite loud – it’s only their physical voice that seems to elude them.</p>
<p>An hour into the walk, Ganon is struck by a thought.</p>
<p>“How about Yusha?” he asks them.</p>
<p>“Hm?” they hum, inquisitive.</p>
<p>“As a name,” he explains. “You don’t seem to have one, for some unfathomable reason, and I can’t keep referring to you as ‘the vae’ in my head. So, Yusha. Meaning Hero. Since it’s twice now that you’ve heroically rescued me from being caught unaware by monsters that could have killed me in a single blow.” Personally, he’s quite proud of it; something about the name seems to suit them. They seem to agree, since they give him a thumbs-up gesture and a wide grin. </p>
<p>Another hour passes in comfortable silence until the duo turn a sharp bend in the road. There, just visible on the horizon, is a vast metal arch beneath an even vaster carving of a bearded, smiling Goron. Yusha gasps in delight at the sight, eyes practically sparkling. The sight of their childlike wonder brings Ganondorf a little joy of his own, and he smiles warmly at them. </p>
<p>“Let’s go, Yusha. Goron city awaits.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Guess who decided he wanted to write today, I guess.</p>
<p>Not much happens in this chapter, but I really want to get a feel for the characters of these two before I throw them to the (literal) flames.</p>
<p>Also, the next chapter will likely feature one of the best characters in Breath of the Wild. That's right, it's Yunobo time! [AN: if u don’t know who he is get da hell out of here!]</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Goron City</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ganondorf and Yusha arrive at Goron City. Ganondorf makes a new friend, and a new enemy.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Goron City is mostly what Ganondorf expected. It’s built over two tiers, with buildings carved directly into the rock and supported by twisted skeletons of wrought iron and steel. Open pools of lava are crossed with rough metal bridges, and the paths are lit by torches of glowing red ore. The whole city is overlooked by four gargantuan carvings of Gorons, presumably elders from their history, that hold up a huge iron bridge that crosses over the entire valley. </p><p>Yusha is gazing around with their mouth wide open. They are bouncing on the balls of their feet and their hands are flapping back and forth at their sides. After a minute or so, they break out of their stupor and point towards a shop that appears to be selling clothing. <i>Fire Shield</i>, they sign, grabbing Ganon’s arm and pulling him towards it like an excited child.</p><p>It is at this point that Ganon realises he has no idea what the economy is like in this Hyrule. It’s unlikely that rupees have lost their intrinsic magical value, but-</p><p>“Yusha, you do realise that I am carrying very little money? I am unlikely to be able to afford fireproof armour, and I have no wish to end up in your debt.”</p><p>They sigh, pull their device from their belt, and show him a still image of the talus the two of them fought on the road. <i>Spoils</i>, they sign. </p><p>“Do you think Gorons are likely to wish to buy precious gems? I’ve often heard them complain that they’re inedible.”</p><p>They shrug as if to say <i>only one way to find out</i> and walk away. With a sigh of his own, Ganon follows them into a modest building. A Goron stands behind a stone counter, giving them a welcoming smile as they walk in.</p><p>He addresses Ganon. “All right, brother! You lookin’ for some heatproof armour before you fry?”</p><p>“I… yes? If you have it.” </p><p>“What kinda question is that? Of course we have it. We’re an armour shop, ain’t we?”</p><p>Yusha shoulders past Ganon and places a fistful of gems on the table. They tap their breastplate and point to him, then motion to their legs and hold up two fingers.</p><p>The shopkeeper raises an eyebrow as he sorts through the gems. “Two sets of boots and one breastplate? Yeah, I wouldn’t usually take gems in exchange, but with the Gerudo lady in town I can sell ‘em to, I think this should be enough. Gimme a minute to find stock that’ll fit the pair of ya.”</p><p>He disappears into the back but Ganon barely notices. He’s too stuck on that throwaway comment. There are Gerudo in this Hyrule? For that matter, they seem to be so commonplace that it seems like nothing for a Gerudo merchant to be visiting the Gorons. Does this mean he didn’t completely fail his people? That they recovered, despite everything he did and everything that was done to them? Maybe he can-</p><p>“Zauz?” A soft, quiet voice. He blinks back to himself to see Yusha looking up at him, concerned. <i>Okay</i>, they sign, looking at him questioningly. </p><p>He nods. “Yes, I just went somewhere else for a second. Don’t worry about me, vae’a.”</p><p>They looked a little sceptical, but he was saved from an interrogation by the return of the shopkeeper, holding a box of dark red, heavy-duty armour. He dropped it on the counter with a heavy thud. “Here’s your stuff! Have a great day, now!”</p><p>Ganon picks up the box. “To the inn?” he asks Yusha, who nods in return. They give the shopkeeper a wave goodbye and follow Ganondorf out of the store. </p><p>The inn is just across the way from the store. Ganon is pleased to find that he has enough rupees stowed away to afford a room for a few nights, and after procuring their keys he and Yusha split ways to change. He’s curious as to what their business in this city is; if the Gerudo are truly going strong then Ganondorf intends to return to the desert as soon as possible, but he’s surprisingly reluctant to part ways with his travelling companion. He feels drawn to them, for some reason. As though he’ll be upset if something happens to them despite having known them for two days. It’s an odd sensation, to be sure.</p><p>He brushes the thought aside as he removes his robes. This flameproof armour isn’t tailored to fit as the Gerudo are used to but is still good quality for off-the-shelf clothing. Once he’s finished fixing all of the many buckles and straps that hold the heavy-duty boots and breastplate in their correct places, he pauses to consider his robes. After a moment of thought, he pulls his scarf from the fabric. It is a cream scarf, patterned with the red and blue geometric design that his mothers were so incredibly fond of. He ties it over his shoulders like a shawl so that the star sits as his back, and then leaves his room to find Yusha.</p><p>They are waiting for him in the common area. They’ve exchanged their leg wraps for flameproof boots of their own, and their scarf for a dark grey hooded cape. <i>Chief</i>, they sign to him when they notice his approach. <i>Gather information. Follow</i>. The last sign is accompanied by a questioning tilt of their head, and he shakes his head in response.</p><p>“I’m afraid I have someone of my own to find.” He walks to the door with them anyway, though. “If you don’t mind me asking, what are you gathering information on? I realise I never asked your purpose in travelling here.”</p><p>Their response is a name sign he’s clearly supposed to be familiar with – a combination of <i>dark magic</i> and <i>destruction</i> and, interestingly, a sign he’s never seen before that consists of the index finger of their right hand tapped against the back of the closed fist of their left. He nods in false understanding anyway and wishes them luck in their investigation before they split up.</p><p>In the end, the Gerudo merchant finds Ganondorf. He is startled by a deep, feminine voice calling out to him, “A voe like you has got some audacity, walking around in a traditional Gerudo shawl like you have any right to it.”</p><p>“Sav’saaba, sister,” he calls as he turns around to face an actual, real Gerudo woman with short red hair and deeply tanned skin that is glaring at him angrily. He raises his hands placatingly and continues, “The shawl was made for me by my mothers. They would be quite livid if I didn’t wear their gifts, and I’ve never had the courage to anger my mothers, I’m afraid. I don’t doubt that they’d find a way to make me suffer their disappointment even from beyond the grave.”</p><p>She barks out a laugh. “No, Gerudo mothers certainly aren’t to be crossed if you know what’s good for you.” She offers her fist to him in greeting. “Ramella. I trade in precious stones and sell ‘em to the jewellery makers back home.”</p><p>He taps the back of his hand against hers. “Zauz.”</p><p>She narrows her eyes at him. “I’ve studied old literature too, you know. Just say you don’t want to tell me your name and be done with it.”</p><p>“Did I mention that my mothers were somewhat eccentric?” He laughs awkwardly. “They named me Dragmire. You can understand why that doesn’t tend to go down well.”</p><p>“Ah. Yes, I can see that. Especially what with the calamity acting up again.” </p><p>The calamity. Sounds ominous. He would ask what she means, but he suspects it’s knowledge he is expected to have. It may well be what Yusha was signing about, come to think of it. He tries to think of a subtler way to ask, but all he comes up with is- “Are the tribe faring alright? It’s been quite a while since I was in the desert.”</p><p>Ramella winces. “It’s tough going at the moment. Vah Nabooris is more active than ever, making almost everything south of the Palu Wasteland impassable. We can’t even get to the seven heroines right now, let alone the Arbiter’s Grounds.”</p><p>The Arbiter’s Grounds. Now there’s a name he would like to forget. Does she know what happened there? A large part of him hopes that stain on Gerudo history has been forgotten, and that they can enjoy the Sand Goddess’s temple as it was before the massacre of their mothers. His sisters. He doubts it.</p><p>She hasn’t finished speaking. “Not to mention that those filthy Ganon-serving weasels have been raiding the city every other day. Chief Riju’s trying her best, of course, but the Yiga are crafty little bastards. I heard a rumour that they’ve stolen the thunder helm since I last left, too.”</p><p>What. “Do you think it’s likely to get worse?”</p><p>“Looks like it. Honestly, the way the Yiga and Nabooris are acting, it sounds like Calamity Ganon’s really got it in for the Gerudo. I’ve never heard about the clan attacking the Rito, even though it wouldn’t be much further out and it’d probably be easier for them given that the Rito live in a cute little village and not, you know, a stone fortress manned by trained warriors.”</p><p>Ganondorf is suddenly, overwhelmingly angry. Even in the depths of his tyranny, when he was consumed by a hatred not entirely his own and a thirst for power he had never truly desired before, he had never harmed his own tribe. It wasn’t easy; the part of him that remained himself fighting at every step against the all-consuming Malice, the call to <i>hurt</i>, to <i>destroy</i>. But his people had been worth the struggle. He would have sacrificed anything for them, would have slit his own throat sooner than unleash his corrupted magic on them. </p><p><i>An enemy of the Gerudo is an enemy of Ganondorf</i>, they used to say. And even in this unfamiliar Hyrule, that still stood. After all, a king’s duty to his people does not cease simply because his people have changed. This Yiga clan know nothing, if they think terrorising Ganon’s own tribe will get them on his good side. And as for whatever this ‘Calamity Ganon’ is, there’s no way it retains any of Ganondorf’s personality or memories. It is simply a threat to his tribe that needs to be destroyed.</p><p>He tries to school some of the fury from his expression. “I suspect you’re more travelled than me, vai’en. What have you seen of Calamity Ganon?”</p><p>They talk for a good couple of hours. At one point in their conversation Ganondorf looks around for Yusha only to realise that it’s nearly midnight, most of the city’s population are indoors, and the little Hylian is nowhere to be found. He assumes they headed back to the inn for the night, and makes a mental note to ask them about their findings in the morning. What Ramella is telling him is far too interesting for him to leave the conversation, though.</p><p>The ‘divine beasts’, from what he can gather, seem to be mechanical monsters controlled by the creature they call Calamity Ganon. As well as the one known as Vah Nabooris that terrorises the Gerudo with an impassable field of lightning magic (and isn’t <i>that</i> interesting, that the type of magic most common to the Gerudo is the same type this thing wields) are three others – Vah Medoh, which is impeding the Rito’s ability to hunt by blocking their airspace; Vah Ruta, which has made Zora’s Domain almost impassable to outsiders by spewing perpetual rainfall and polluting their reservoir in the process; and Vah Rudania, which has made many parts of Death Mountain including a couple of Goron mines impassable due to magma bombs and frequent earthquakes.</p><p>It is somewhat surprising to hear that each divine beast is targeting a specific tribe while the Hylians are being left alone in comparison. The lack of mention of any kind of forest tribe is less odd, as they have always been insular and secretive, but the way the others are being terrorised is completely outside of Ganondorf’s normal M.O. Everything seems to point towards this ‘Calamity Ganon’ not being Ganon at all, but rather a mindless beast of instinct and Malice. Ganon without Ganondorf. Everything he tried so hard not to become. </p><p>Calamity Ganon is a problem. It crossed a line when it harmed the Gerudo tribe. If Yusha has taken it upon themselves to try and take down one of its forms, well, who better to slay a beast than its creator?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This chapter got away from me, because Ganondorf is a terrible gossip. Next chapter will follow what Link got up to while Ganon stood there chatting.</p><p>In my version of Gerudo, -‘en is a respectful way of addressing someone you consider an equal, roughly translating to “sibling” or “tribe-mate”. Vai’en is the most common way for Gerudo women to address each other, and while Ganondorf isn't a Gerudo woman per se he was raised to act like one.</p><p>As always, I hope you enjoy and please leave a comment if you did :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Northern Mine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Link makes a new friend and forms a plan.</p><p>Ganondorf gossips in the distance.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Link is both relieved and disappointed when they split ways from Zauz. All company is exhausting, even when said company has been so unendingly patient with their admittedly limited ability to communicate and has never once questioned their reluctance to give out their name. </p><p>Link. A name that carries with it a century of hopes and expectations that weigh on them with every step they take. Everywhere they have been so far they have been recognised as a dead man that they only have a handful of hazy memories of being. They are told, with a certainty they cannot match, that they are the hero of courage, the one who will free all of Hyrule from the Calamity. They don’t feel particularly courageous, can barely speak from the fear they will say something wrong and shatter the illusion of the hero everyone seems to have complete faith in.</p><p>They aren’t a hero. They just want to help people, however they can, and their as of yet unmatched strength and skill with a sword suggests that what they can do to help is to fight. The slate they carry and the magic that allows them to warp the flow of time are simply tools that help them to do so. But to everyone in the villages they’ve travelled to so far the slate identifies them as <i>the</i> Link, he who wields the sword that seals the darkness, the hero chosen by the goddess and so on.</p><p>There’s the second issue. He. Such a small word, but it makes their skin crawl. From what few things they can remember of their past, more emotions and instincts than anything concrete, the Champion felt the same way. Nobody before Zauz has actually <i>asked</i> them who they are. It’s always decided for them as though they are not a person of their own, but simply a vessel for the concept of ‘Link’. The concept of a “man” that was thrust upon them has never made sense, like there’s a secret set of rules and instructions they’ve never been allowed to read. </p><p>Zauz, though? He picks up on their expressions and the meaning of their gestures almost instantly, like he understands them on an instinctual level. They weren’t intending to accompany him on the path up the mountain, instead planning to simply climb and paraglide their way to the city as the Rito flies, but they’d found themselves liking him during their initial interaction. Not only that, but he’d also caught their interest - the stunt with his magic and the Guardian had been <i>fascinating</i>. They wonder if he could do that to Vah Rudania.</p><p>Speaking of Vah Rudania, the Goron chief is useless. ‘Painkillers’ their ass, the old man is clearly afraid and is attempting to fob them off to his assistant, Yunobo. Yunobo, who has been missing in an abandoned mine for days with nobody caring enough to look for him. Joy.</p><p>The northern mine isn’t too far from the city. The path to it is littered with octorocks that create more of a nuisance than anything else, but they’re beginning to understand why the Gorons don’t use it anymore. Monster infestations make everything difficult.</p><p>The mine itself is hotter than anywhere they’ve ever been before, and they’re immediately glad they bought the boots to go with their armour. It’s also completely infested with lizalfos. The quarry is filled with lava, out of which rise numerous rocky islands. Around the mine are scattered both huge metal cannons and crude outposts built by the lizalfos. There also appear to be geyser-like columns of hot air surrounding many of the rocky outcroppings.</p><p>Link takes a moment to assess the situation. The cannons look like they would fit a bomb produced by their Sheikah Slate, and they should be able to travel from cannon to cannon using their paraglider and the updrafts to keep them from hitting the lava. On the far side of the quarry is a pillar of rock blocked by a massive boulder. From the lanterns and Goron emblem visible from their vantage point, Link can assume that this is a man-made structure. It seems likely that this Yunobo is stuck inside this structure, and it would explain why he’s been missing. </p><p>They carefully plan a route that will take them past all of the cannons so they don’t have to waste time and arrows fighting off the lizalfos themselves, and then fire the first cannon. One of the lizalfos outposts explodes in a shower of fire and debris and they grin. It’s fun, gliding between islands and raining down fiery hell on the horrible creatures before catching un updraft to fly to the next cannon. It takes less than an hour for them to clear away all the monsters in the area and destroy the debris blocking the building so that they can meet Yunobo.</p><p>They glide over to the newly uncovered entrance and look inside. A reasonably small Goron stands inside, huddled in fear in one corner and muttering quietly to himself. When he notices them, he screams in fear for the couple of seconds it takes for him to notice that they’re a tiny Hylian, not a monster. Once he’s calmed down and caught his breath, they give him a friendly wave and a smile.</p><p> </p><p>“Were you the one who broke through the crag to rescue me, goro?” he asks them. They nod, and he beams. “Thanks, brother! But what brought you all the way out here to begin with?”</p><p>“Yunobo?” they ask him, quietly. </p><p>“That’s me! I sure am glad you saved me, goro!” He gives them a grin and a wave of his own. “The name’s Yunobo,” he says. “Everyone call’s me… Yunobo.” </p><p>They giggle at him. He’s kind of cute, in a dorky way, and his mannerisms make them smile.</p><p>“What?” he replies. “It makes sense, goro! Anyway, I came here to get some painkillers for the Boss, but a magma bomb caused a rockslide, sealing the entrance, goro. By the way, how did you break them?”</p><p>Link thinks for a second. <i>Fire</i>, they sign. </p><p>“You burned them away? That doesn’t sound right, goro.”</p><p>They shake their head. <i>Rock</i>, they try. <i>Arrow</i>.</p><p>“Huh?” Yunobo yells, high-pitched all of a sudden. “You used Boss’s cannon? That thing is so difficult to use. I thought only he could handle it!” Then he blinks. “Aw, dangit, the painkillers. I’ve gotta run! Are you coming with me, brother?”</p><p>He holds out a massive hand to link, who blushes and takes it. He then uses that hand to pick them up and place them on his shoulders like a child. They find that they don’t mind, holding onto his blue cape and laughing as he takes off unsteadily back towards the city.</p><p>At the entrance to the mine, he twists to look up at them “You comfortable up there, goro?” he asks. </p><p>The truth is, not particularly. Living rock is hardly the most comfortable of materials to sit on, and his neck is too wide for them to wrap their legs around his shoulders properly. It’s fun, though, seeing the world from twice as high as usual and being treated as a friend by this sweet Goron, so they nod and let go with one of their hands for a second to give him a thumbs up.</p><p>“Great! Hold on tight now, goro! Goron city awaits!”</p><p>The path back to the city is easy with all the monsters already dead. They pick their way down the path to the place where the chief is standing. He gives Link an odd look as they hop down from Yunobo’s shoulders, but decides not to comment.</p><p>“It’s the tiny traveller! And Yunobo!” he shouts. Link wonders why Gorons feel the need to shout so often. Do the earthquakes damage their hearing?</p><p>Yunobo claps Link on the back painfully. “This little guy rescued me, boss! He’s great”</p><p>They try not to blush. <i>Nothing</i>, they sign.</p><p>“Well, now that you’re here with my painkillers I guess it’s time to give that Rudania a good walloping,” Boss says. “I mean no respect to Daruk’s legacy, but someone’s gotta keep that thing under control.”</p><p>“Daruk?” Link asks. The name feels like it should be familiar. They can sign it, too - <i>Friend. Rock. Food</i>. They can see the edges of memories they no longer have.</p><p>The Goron chief misunderstands them. “Are you really telling me you don’t know about Daruk?” he asks, aghast. “The Goron Champion?” He turns to point at one of the massive figures carved into the mountain above the city. “See that statue up there? That’s Daruk!”</p><p>They stare at it in more detail. It’s familiar, certainly – the face makes them think of loud laughter, the outstretched arms of spine-snapping hugs, and- Oh. They remember now. </p><p>Daruk had welcomed them with open arms when they’d first visited the Gorons. He’d immediately taken them under his wing and acted as an almost brother-like figure to them, calling them “little guy” and encouraging them to train with him. Daruk was one of the only people from whom masculine terms of address didn’t bother them, as he’d never said them in a way that implied any sort of gender. He’d been aghast at how small they were, desperately trying to feed them up on roasted rocks and huge slabs of meat. He’d never really understood that Link’s monster appetite and stomach of steel weren’t normal Hylian traits, offering rock roasts to all travelling diplomats and becoming subtly disappointed when they made their excuses to politely refuse the food. </p><p>Daruk was one of the few people with whom Link had felt safe and free from the crushing weight of their responsibilities. Whenever they checked up on him or his progress with the divine beast Vah Rudania, he greeted them as an old friend and offered them words of affection and support. On days when everything was too much, too loud, when touch felt physically painful and even their few words were nowhere to be found, he was happy to sit with them in a quiet corner of the mountain and breathe with them until they could face the world again. </p><p>He wasn’t the idiot many people thought him to be, taking his responsibilities as both chief and champion incredibly seriously. He was good, kind and surprisingly gentle, never letting pride get in the way of his duty. When Calamity Ganon attacked Vah Rudania, he called for help immediately and when it didn’t come he continued to fight to the bitter end.</p><p>They blink back to the present, where Yunobo and the chief are both staring at them oddly. “What’s gotten into you?” the Chief asks. “Hylians sure are strange. Anyway, Yunobo here is actually a descendant of the great Daruk.”</p><p>“It’s why I can use Daruk’s protection, goro!” Yunobo interjects. “Um, that’s the shield magic you saw me use when you blasted me out of the mines.”</p><p>Boss nods. “He uses it to protect himself when we fire him at Rudania. That’s the only way we can chase that blasted beast away, since normal cannonballs are useless against him. Anyway, that’s enough outta me. Let’s go do just th-” There is a horrible cracking sound and he swears loudly. </p><p><i>You okay?</i> Link signs, concerned. </p><p>“Oh yeah,” he drawls sarcastically. “Just peachy. No, I’m afraid I won’t be going anywhere any time soon. We’ll just have to hope Rudania keeps away for a bit longer. Now, some of us need rest. Scram, you two.” And with that, he heads into his house and slams the door with a pained grunt.</p><p>Yunobo nods. “I suppose we’d better get some rest too, goro. I’ll walk you to the inn. Only…”</p><p>Link tilts their head at him with their best ‘I’m asking a question’ expression and motions for him to continue.</p><p>“You can operate the cannons, can’t you, brother? What say you and I head up to Eldin Bridge tomorrow and take it out ourselves?”</p><p>Link nods enthusiastically. Perfect. If they weaken Rudania, maybe they can board it and take it out for good. Zauz, too, if he wants to help. Yes, that sounds like a great plan. </p><p>“That’s fantastic! I’ll meet you here tomorrow, goro, and we can head up to the bridge together!” He hesitates for a second, and then steps forward to pull Link into a hug. “See you tomorrow, brother.”</p><p>As they head into the inn and off to sleep, Link can’t help but wriggle a little in happiness.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Surprise! It's a Link chapter!</p><p>Bonus surprise! Link has a mostly platonic crush on Yunobo! And to be honest, who wouldn't?</p><p>I need to replay breath of the wild. I miss these characters.</p><p>The next chapter is getting away from me somewhat, so I may split it into two. we'll see how it goes.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Bridge of Eldin</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Link and Ganon travel to Death mountain, and I am tired.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Morning finds Ganondorf sitting in the inn, eating a breakfast of air-roasted mushrooms as Yusha tries to explain their evening to him in between mouthfuls of what appears to be spiced gravel. At least, Ganon assumes it’s gravel. The innkeeper had smiled at them when he’d handed them the bowl of breakfast, with a comment about how nice it was to see a traveller willing to try the local cuisine. Yusha had simply smiled charmingly at him in response and started shovelling the rocks into their mouth with gusto. </p><p>Between each handful, they made a couple of signs at him. First, the unfamiliar one they’d made the day before – the combination of <i>dark magic, destruction</i> and the sign he didn’t recognise at all. </p><p>“That means Calamity Ganon, yes?” They nod. “I’ve never seen one of those signs before. What is-” he copies the foreign sign, the single finger tapped against the back of a closed fist- “this?”</p><p>They consider, and say softly, “power.” Then they repeat the gesture with two fingers instead of one. “Wisdom.” Again, but with three fingers held together. “Courage.” Then, they string the gesture together, tapping one then two then three fingers on their fist in quick succession. “Triforce.”</p><p>That makes a lot of sense, and Ganon is surprised at himself for failing to work it out sooner. “So, Calamity Ganon,” he says. “I’ve heard about Vah Rudania causing locals for the Gorons, is it something to do with that?”</p><p>They hum in agreement, and sign <i>prisoner, break out</i>.</p><p>“You want to free the divine beast from the influence of Calamity Ganon?” he guesses.</p><p>They smile. <i>Make an attempt</i>, they say.</p><p>“Would you like – that is, would you be opposed to this old mercenary coming along to help?” he asks, hesitantly.</p><p>They shake their head in response, and Ganondorf furrows his brow. “Is that no, you’re not opposed; or no, you don’t want me to come?”</p><p><i>Follow me</i>, they sign. <i>Work together</i>. They’re beaming at him.</p><p>Ganon grins, somewhat ferociously. “Wonderful. Shall we go?”</p><p>Yusha leads Ganondorf out of the inn to one of the larger houses in the city, which has a Goron standing outside. He’s clearly young, without the beard that most older Gorons tend to sport, and he wears a blue cape marked with the symbol of a salamander that Ganon is fairly sure represents Vah Rudania. When he sees Yusha, he breaks into a wide grin and waves frantically. </p><p>“Hey, brother! Over here!” he calls to them. Yusha gives him a little wave back with a small, shy smile and hurries towards him. Ganon sighs and follows behind them to where the Goron is standing.</p><p>Yusha looks to Ganon and motions to the Goron. “Yunobo,” they say. Then, they turn to Yunobo and wave in Ganondorf’s direction. “Zauz,” they say, while making the name-sign he showed them a few days ago.</p><p>Yunobo blinks. “Oh! Um, hi, goro.” </p><p>Ganon nods politely at him. “Good morning. I offered to help Yusha here with their ridiculous plan to board Vah Rudania.”</p><p>Yunobo blinks again, and then turns to Yusha. “You wand to do <i>what</i>?”</p><p>They have the grace to look sheepish. “Um.”</p><p>Ganondorf can’t help but chuckle at Yunobo’s expression. “They didn’t tell you of that part of the plan then, I take it?”</p><p>“If they had, I would have told them it’s a suicide mission, goro.”</p><p>“And that’s why I’m here. <i>Si du haber sav’an an</i>, and all that.”</p><p>“I’m sorry?” Yunobo asks.</p><p>“Don’t be,” Ganon responds. </p><p>Next to him, Yusha signs <i>two spear good more one</i>, and Ganon stares at them. </p><p>He opens his mouth to ask them how they know that, but Yunobo beats him to speaking. “You’re absolutely right! Well, shall we head out before it gets too late, goro?”</p><p>Yusha nods, and with that they set off. Ganondorf notices with amusement that as they head across the city that Yusha keeps drifting closer to Yunobo’s side, tilting their head to look at him as he speaks and giving him small smiles. They keep on like that, happy to let Yunobo chatter on to them about inconsequential things until they reach the end of a mine cart track.</p><p>“You could probably power this the same way you fired those cannons yesterday, goro,” Yunobo tells Yusha as he heaves a huge metal cart onto the track with very little effort. “You can take it up to Stolock Bridge, and I can roll around and meet you there. Does that sound okay, brother?”</p><p>They assess the cart and track and look to Ganondorf for his opinion. “I’m okay with this,” he tells them, and they give Yunobo a thumbs up.</p><p>“Wonderful!” he replies. “See you in a few minutes, goro!” And with that, he rolls into a ball and takes off at impressive speed.</p><p>Yusha motions for Ganon to get into the cart and pulls the strange device from their hip. Now that he can get a better look at it, he can see it bears the Sheikah eye on the back. They tap the glass-like part of the screen and it lights up to display seven small glowing icons. They touch their finger to one of them, a circular blue sytmbol, and a sphere of glowing blue appears in their hand. Carefully, they drop this sphere into the fuel chamber of the mine cart and lift the slate again.</p><p><i>Brace yourself</i>, they sign to Ganon. He grabs the rail on the front of the cart with a questioning look at them, which they answer by tapping the blue circle again. </p><p>There is a large bang and a flash of blue light, and the mine cart rockets across the tracks. Over the sound of the wind whistling in his ears, Ganon shouts to Yusha, “was that a bomb? Yusha, was that a bomb made of light?”</p><p>His only response is a somewhat maniacal cackle and a second sphere of light in their hands. </p><p>“<i>Yusha when were you planning on telling me that you can manifest explosives out of thin air.</i>”</p><p>More laughter. As the minecart screeches to a halt next to a huge iron bridge, they dismiss the explosive in their hand and hop to the ground, elegant and graceful. While waiting for Yunobo to catch up with them, Yusha shows Ganondorf how the device they call the “Sheikah Slate” works. There is a rune that allows them to lift metal objects like they’re nothing, a rune that freezes objects (and people, according to Yusha) in place, a ‘camera’ that acts like a picto box that can hold more than three images, two different shapes of bomb and an incomplete map of Hyrule. </p><p>It's only about five minutes before Yunobo rolls around the corner to join them, and the three of them head across the bridge together. But, when they are almost across, the ground rumbles as Vah Rudania lets out an almighty roar and slams two of its feet against the volcano. The mountain shudders, and magma bombs start spewing into the sky. </p><p>Yunobo’s eyes widen in fear. “We have to go now, goro. Take the mine cart, I’ll roll as fast as I can. We can’t let it attack the city with this.”</p><p>Yusha nods and hands Ganon a shield. “I’ll drive. Deflect the magma,” they order him seriously. He nods and hops onto the minecart, shield at the ready. </p><p>The next hour is a frantic rush to the Bridge of Eldin, with Yusha desperately piloting the minecarts while Ganon deflects magma bombs with his shield and, when he feels he has to, his magic. He’s mostly saving his strength for the divine beast, though. Yunobo rolls next to them, a shield of red energy surrounding him that the magma bombs bounce harmlessly off of. When they reach the raised bridge, he hops into the nearby cannon and calls out at Yusha to fire at the bridge. </p><p>They do, setting a bomb into the fuel chamber and rotating the cannon until it faces the bridge. They detonate the bomb, sending a shielded Yunobo flying into the very centre of the bridge which knocks it down flat. </p><p>Once the three of them cross the bridge of Eldin, Vah Rudania lets out another roar and releases a swarm of tiny robots from its body. They scatter, patrolling the entire crater approach with tiny beams of light. Ganondorf frowns at his two compatriots.</p><p>“Looks like we’ll have to fight our way up.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I meant to publish this chapter two weeks ago. oops. Things happen in the next chapter I swear</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi, thanks for reading this!</p>
<p>I hope to update this every week at a bare minimum. We'll see how that goes.</p>
<p>Just a note - I'm using Vae as a gender-neutral equivalent to Voe and Vai. I'm also using Vae'a to be an affectionate way of addressing a younger family member (similarly, voe'a would be 'little brother' and vai'a 'little sister'). I'll probably develop other small parts of the Gerudo language as I go along.</p>
<p>Zauz from Phantom Hourglass always made me think of Ganondorf, so. There's that. </p>
<p>Comments of all kinds are really appreciated :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>